Automatic control for stitch regulating mechanisms of flat knitting machines



ACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR: HaroZdEPagez? A TTORNEYS.

Sept. 8, 1931. H. F. PAGET AUTOMATIC CONTR 0L FOR STITCH REGULATINGMECHANISMS OF FLAT KNITTING M Filed Oct 21. 1929 WITNESSES Sept. 8,1931. H. F. PAGET 1,322,169

- AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR STITCH. REGULATING MECHANISMS OF FLAT KNITTINGMACHINES Filed Oct. 21. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR: HaroZoZEPageZWITNESSES A TTORNEYS.

Sept. 8, 1931. H. F. PAGET 1,322,169

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR STITCH REGULATING MECHANISMS OF FLAT KNITTINGMACHINES Filed Oct. 21. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR: j-[aroZoZE Page?BY ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 8, 193 1 HAROLD PAGET, OF PHILADELPHIA,

HOSIERY- MILLS INC., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 01PENNSYLVANIA AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOB- STITCH PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR' TOHAIIINIES REGULATING MECHANISMS OF FLAT KNITTING MACHINES v IApplication filed October 21, 1929. Serial No. 401,090.

This invention relates to controls for stitch regulatingmechanisms offlat knitting machines, particularly flat knitting machines of the typeemployed in the manufacture of 5 full fashioned hosiei'y.

Knitting machines of the kind specificall referred to are ordinarilyfitted with stitc regulating shafts carrying armswith rollers on themwhich are shiftable into and out of the planes o-f separate rotary camson the cam shaft of the machine, whereby the needles are bodily shiftedrelative to the sinkers with which they cooperate for the purpose ofproducing on the one hand loose courses, and on the other hand, ofproducing larger fabric-loops in portions of individual courses wherethe fabric is to be reinforced by use of heavier yarns than the main orbody yarn. Heretofore the shifting of the rollers to bring the loosecourse and split slack mechanisms into play was left to the manualcontrol of the operatives. Forgetfulness on the part of the knitters toperform these functions at the proper time naturally resulted in theproduction of imperfect work on the machines with attendant economiclosses.

The main object of my invention is to overcome the recited drawbacksthrough provision of means whereby the shifting of the rollers on theloose course and split slack levers into the planes of the actuatingcams is controlled automatically without requiring any attentionwhatever onthe part of the operatives or necessitating stoppage of themachines. I

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will bemanifest from the detailed description following in connection with thedrawings, wherein Fig. I is a cross sectional view of a typical fullfashioned hoi r siery machine, known,as the Reading machine, embodyingmy improved means for automatically controlling the operation of theloose course and split slack instrumentalities.

Fig. II is a fragmentary plan sectional view, taken as indicated by thearrows II-II in Fig. I. v V

Fig. III is a fragmentary, perspective view showing one of the needlebars or the machine, together with the loose course and split slackinstrumentalities and certain elements of my improved means forcontrolling the functioning of said instrumentalities.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Fig. I, showingother parts of my control means; and, i

Fig. V is a fragmentary elevation, viewed as indicated by the arrows VVin Fig. IV.

With detailed reference first, more particularly, t Fig. I of theseillustrations, one of the needle bars of the machine is indicated at 10,the'needles which it carries at 11, and the cooperating sinkers at 12,the latter being slidable horizontally in a head 13 fixed to the top ofthe machine frame 14 and reciprocated in the usual manner by the meanscomprehensively designated 15. The usual horizontally disposed cam shaft16 is supported in suitable bearings afforded by the machine frame 14,

and carries the conventional profile cams 17, 18 for actuating thefollower roller arms 19, 20 respectively. The first of these followerarms 19 is secured to and dependent from a shaft 21, and the other 20similarly secured to a contiguou'sly mounted shaft 22, both shafts beingsupported by the-machine frame 14 at the top. The movement'of thefollower arm 19 is translated, by means of a lever 23 reachinghorizontally from the shaft 21, toinduce vertical reciprocation of theneedle bar 10 relative to the sinkers '12 in forming the fabric coursesin the known way. The follower arm 20 is coupled, by means of a link 24,with a clownward ar m 10a of the needle bar 10 so that the latter isswung about its pivotal connection 25 with the lever 23 to effectclosure of the beards of the needles 11, incident to the formation offabric loops or stitches, likewise in the known manner? P TENT O I EFurthermore, as usual, the machine is provided with a rockable stitchregulating shaft 26 which is j ournalled in bearings supported on thelower longitudinal bar 27 at the front of the machine frame 14. As shownin Fig. III, the shaft 26 has secured to it with capacity foradjustment, a roller follower arm 28 for cooperation with anotherprofile cam. 29 on the shaft 16 for controlling the normal size of thefabric loops knit by the machine, through the medium of a detaining arm30 on the shaft 26, which detaining arm determines the extent of inwardmovement of the roller on the follower arm 20a with resp ct to thecam 18aforementioned for the indicated purpose. The shaft 26 furthermorecarries a loose course lever 31 and a split slack lever 32. These levers31, 32 are respectively fitted with rollers 33,34 (Figs. II and III)which are axially slidable independently into and out of the planes ofloose course and split slack cams 35, 36 on the cam shaft 16, by meansof spring pulled handles 37, 38 on said levers. The cam 35 is singlelobed to determine formation of loose fabric loops throughout singlecourses of the knitting; while the cam 36 is double lobed to determineformation of larger loops in portions of single courses of the fabric toenable use of heavier yarns in knitting the reinforced high heel areasof stockings, for example.

To automatically control the functioning of the loose course and splitslack instrumentalie ties just described, I provide means which includesa pair of levers 40, 41 (Figs. I, II and III) fulcrumed intermediatetheir ends for .independent horizontal swinging movement on supplementalbearing brackets 42, 43 which are secured to the rear longitudinal rail44 of the machine frame 14. As shown,

the longer extremities 40a, 41a of the levers 41 reach to the handles37, 38 on the loose course and split slack levers 31, 32, while theirshorter extremities 40b, 416 are fitted with rollers 45 46 to cooperatewith separate cams 47 48 on an auxiliary cam shaft 49.

This auxiliary shaft 49 extends horizontally along the back of themachine where it is supported in bearings 50 which are secured, withcapacity for both vertical and horizontal adjustment, to the machineframe 14. From Figs. I, II and IV, it will be observed that the cams 47,48 are formed adjacent their peripheries with lateral offsets 47a, 4812which are influential in swinging the levers 40,41 to the extentrequired for actuating the handles 37, 38 on the loose course and splitslack levers 31, 32 to shift the rollers 33, 34 into the planes of thecoordinated cams 35, 36 on the cam shaft 16. The cams 47, 48

are of course set in different angular positions on the auxiliary shaft49 so as to be Any suitable means may be employed to rotate theauxiliary shaft 49, but I prefer to effect its operation undergovernance of the measuring chain of the machine which is indicated at5.1 in Figs. IV and V. To this end I equip the measuring chain with aseries of special buttons 52 adapted to 'underride a roller 53 on an arm54, the latter being secured to one end of a shaft 55 which extendstransversely of the machine frame 14 through supplemental bearings 56,57 respectively bolted to the longitudinals 27, 44. At the rear end, theshaft 55 has secured to ita lever 58 which is coupled by means of a link59, with a pawl guard 60, of bell crank configuration, mounted forindependent swinging motion on the auxiliary cam shaft 49. The functionof this pawl guard 60 is to determine the activity of a pawl 61 relativeto a ratchet wheel 62 secured to the auxiliary cam shaft, said pawlbeing pivoted to an arm 63, which, like the pawl guard 60, isindependently swingable 011 said shaft. The pawl 61 is constantlyoscillated by means of an eccentric 64 on the cam shaft 16 having a rodconnection 65 with the pawl arm 63, said eccentric being split, asshown, .so as to be mountable. on the shaft 16 without necessitatingremoval of the latter from the machine.

Incident to the operation of the machine, each time that a button 52 onthe measuring chain 51 passes beneath the roller arm 54 on the shaft.55the pawl guard 60 is retracted sufliciently to permit picking of onetooth of the ratchet wheel 62 by the pawl 61. Through attendant steppingabout of the auxiliary shaft-49, the side projection 47a of the cam 47thereon is eventually brought into position to engage the roller 45 onthe lever 40, thereby causing the latter to be swung on its pivot in thedirection of the arrow in Fig. II with resultant shifting of the roller33 on the arm 31 into the .path of the loose course cam 35, on the mainshaft 16, through throwing of the handle 37 by said lever 40. As aconsequence, the plane of the needles 11 is shifted slightly toward thesinkers 12, by the mechanism hereinbefore described, to determine largerfabric loops for a loose course,

for example, at the very beginning of a stocking to facilitatesubsequent closure of the welt. -Obviously, the cam 47 may be providedwith more than one side projection 47a to pre'determine knitting ofloose courses in other parts of a stocking. In asimilar manner, the'cam48 causes swinging of the lever 41 to move the handle 38 on the splitslack lever 32and thus effect shifting of the roller 34 on the arm 32into the plane of the double lobed split slack cam 36, on the cam shaft16 of the machine, with resultant shifting of the plane of needles 11relative to the sinkers 12 as before, but only 'during portions ofsingle courses of the fabric to permit the use of reinforcing yarns inknittingsuch fabric portions as already explained.

Thus through my invention, the loose course and split slackinstrumentalities of the knitting machine are controlled automatical- 1ywith elimination of the possibility of errors attendant u on manualmanipulation of the roller'shifting handles 37, 38 on the loose mode ofoperation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination 1n a flatknltting machine embodying a measuring chain; a needle bar and sinkersto cooperate with the needles,

a cam shaft and coordinated means to reciprocate the needle bar, andstitch regulating means including a rock shaft with a loose courselever, a roller on the levershiftable into and out of the plane of a camon the shaft for varying the position of the needle bar relative to thesinkers for the purpose of knitting loose courses; of automatic meansfor controlling shifting of the roller aforesaid comprising'a lever, anauxiliary shaft with means thereon for actuating said lever, and meansgoverned by the measuring chain of the machine for rotating theauxiliary shaft.

2. The combination in a fiat knitting machine embodying a needle bar andsinkers to cooperate with the needles, a cam shaft and coordinated meansto reciprocate the needle bar, and stitch regulating means including arock shaft with a split slack lever,'a roller on the lever shiftableinto and out of the plane of a double lobed cam on said cam shaft forvarying the position of the needle bar relative to the sinkers incidentto knitting of portions of single courses of the knitting; of automaticmeans for controlling shifting of the roller aforesaid comprising alever, and an auxiliary shaft with means thereon for actuating saidlever.

3. The combination in a flat knitting machine embodying a measuringchain, a needle bar and sinkers to cooperate with the needles, a camshaft and coordinated means for reciprocating the needle bar, and splitslack regulating means including a rock shaft carrying a split slacklever with a roller thereon shiftable into and out of the plane of adouble lobed cam on the cam shaft aforesaid for varying the position ofthe needle bar relative to the sinkers incident to the knitting ofportions of single courses of the knitting; of automatic means governedby the measuring chain of the machine to control shifting of the rolleraforesaid.

4. The combination in a flat knitting machine embodying a measuringchain, a needle bar and sinkers to cooperate with the needles, a camshaft and coordinated means to reciprocate the needle bar, and stitchregulating means including a rock shaft with a split slack leverthereon, and aroller on the lever shiftable into and out of the plane ofa doublelobed cam on the cam shaft for varying the position of theneedle bar relative to the sinkers incident to knitting of ortions ofsingle courses of the knitting; 0 automatic means for controllingshifting-of the roller aforesaid comprising a lever, an auxiliary shaftwith means thereon for actuating said lever, and means governed by themeasuring chain of'the machine for rotating the auxiliary shaft.

5. The combination in a flat knitting machine embodying a needle bar andsinkers to cooperate with the needles, a cam shaft and coordinated meansto reciprocate the needle bar, and stitch-regulating means including arock shaft with a loose course lever and a split slack lever thereon, aroller on the loose course lever shiftable into and out of the plane ofa single lobed'loose course cam on the cam shaft, and a similar rollerindependently shiftable on the other lever into and out of the plane ofa separate double lobed split slack cam on the cam shaft; of automaticmeans for controlling such shifting of the rollers aforesaid includingindividually associated levers, and an auxiliary shaft with meansthereon for independently 100 actuating the levers.

6. The combination in a flat knitting machine embodying a needle bar andsinkers to cooperate with the needles, a cam shaft with coordinatedmeans to reciprocate the-needle bar, and stitch regulating meansincluding a rock shaft with a loose course lever and a split slack leverthereon, a roller on the loose course lever shiftable into and out of asingle lobed loose course cam on the cam shaft, and 110 a similar rollerindependently shiftableon the other lever into and out of the path of aseparate double lobed split slack cam on th cam shaft; of automaticmeans 'for contrdlling such shifting of the rollers afore- 115 saidincluding individually associated levers, an auxiliary shaft with meansthereon for independently actuating the levers, and means governed bythe measuringv chain of the machine for rotating the auxiliary shaft,

7. The combination in a flat knitting machine embodying a measuringchain, a needle bar and sinkers to cooperate with the needles,

a cam shaft and coordinated means to reciprocate the needle bar, andstitch regulating 125 means including a rock shaft with a loosecourse'lever and a split slack lever thereon,

roller independently shiftable on the other lever into and out of theplane of a separate double lobed split slack cam on the cam shaft; ofautomatic means forcontrollingsuch shifting of the rollers aforesaidincluding indi- Vi ually associated levers, an auxiliary shaft withmeans thereon for independently actu- I ating the levers, a ratchetWheel on the auxiliary shaft, and pawling means for the ratchet wheelgoverned by the measuring chain of the machine.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this 17 day of October, 1929.

HAROLD F. PAGET.

